4moms Mamaroo Review

By Jodie, Jodie is a mom of two. She enjoys playing and watching sports, being outside with her family, and hanging with her adorable dog.

Let’s be honest, as an expectant mother, I thought the 4moms mamaRoo looked like the pinnacle, the queen bee of swings, and I wanted one.  Sadly, no one bought it for me off of my registry, most likely because this swing costs over 200 dollars.

We ended up using an 80s-style borrowed swing for our first daughter about four years ago.  When I was pregnant with our second daughter, my friend asked if I wanted to borrow anything, and this was on her list of possibilities.

I was thrilled about the prospect of using such a fancy swing for our daughter who would probably be getting hand me downs for almost everything else. 

For this 4moms mamaRoo review, I spent about six months using the 4moms mamaRoo4 with my newborn baby.  After I got over everyone asking why we had so much “space equipment” in our living room, I began to enjoy the ease of putting our baby in the swing, snapping her in, pressing the motion I wanted, and sitting down on the couch to almost relax.  

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What’s a Mamaroo?

There are a multitude of swing, bouncer, and rocker choices for newborns and babies on the market, but adults don’t swing or vibrate, we sway back and forth and bounce our babies gently in our arms.  That’s the beauty that I found in the 4moms mamaRoo. The 4moms Momaroo is like a combination of a swing, a rocker, and a bouncer all in one, that also happens to look like it belongs in an episode of The Jetsons.  

The mamaRoo has five motions that are meant to mimic the way in which we hold our babies.  Car ride, kangaroo, tree swing, rock-a-bye, and wave are the unique variations on motions that the 4moms mamaRoo4 moves in to soothe your baby when fussy or to just relax with while staring at the mobile.  There are also various speeds to choose from once you pick the motion you want.  

This swing is more compact than some others on the market because its base doesn’t extend out as far as some others and it doesn’t hang from framing.  That makes it slightly more desirable in terms of how much space it takes up in your living areas. In creating a 4moms mamaRoo review, it is important to note that every baby is different and while one of your children might love the 4moms mamaRoo, the other might hate it.  All three of my friends’ babies hated this swing, but my daughter loved it! 

The mamaRoo looks a bit like a space saucer that sits up off the ground and sways back and forth on one arm that reaches from the base of the product up to the seat.  You can also connect your phone to your mamaRoo and switch the motions without even getting off the couch. It will cost you either $220 or $250 for these unique features depending on the kind of seat you purchase, while some other rockers are less than $100.  

One night, our newborn baby Ryan was crying up a storm and nothing seemed to be working.  She wasn’t hungry, didn’t seem tired, and didn’t want to be snuggled, so we put her in the 4moms mamaRoo4, turned on the tree motion, and that was that.  It was easy to place her in the seat, I simply laid her in and snapped the safety straps like I would in a high chair. You can recline the seat more or less depending on your baby’s needs and size.  She quieted down almost instantaneously.  

A baby in a Mamaroo with a dog next to her

The only problem we found with this swing was that occasionally, it would just stop.  Ryan would be happy as a clam, and then the motion would stop. That either woke her up or upset her which completely defeated the purpose.  I asked my friend who loaned us the mamaRoo if that ever happened when she was using it, and it did not.  

I looked up some reasons why the motion might halt completely, and all I could find was that if something was blocking the swinging motion, that might cause the 4moms mamaRoo to stop moving entirely.  We did use a blanket to protect the seat cover, and that occasionally dipped below the swing which might have inhibited movement. I also think the base might have just gotten dirty and that was blocking the range of motion.  

The seat cover is removable and machine washable, which makes it nice when you have one of those horrible baby blowouts.  The mobile on the machine lacks durability. It is not a necessary piece, but a nice feature for keeping babies occupied. Ours was pulled on enough that it tilted so far forward, it was in Ryan’s face, so we just removed it.  

How to set up your 4moms mamaRoo

This mamaRoo swing comes in several pieces, but the assembly is pretty straight forward.  On the base, unlock the recline switch, slide the center support bar through the back of the base until it comes through the front several inches, then lock the recline switch.  Place the front end cap on the front of the support bar until it clicks. Then attach the two rounded side rails to the front and back end caps. Next, zip the fabric to the side rails.  Place the top of the fabric over the toy bar and snap together. Pull the bottom of the fabric and snap in place. Thread the child safety belts through the back of the fabric, making sure they are not twisted.  Insert the toy bar at the top of the seat so that it is off to the side and then rotate 90 degrees until it is over the seat. Once all steps are complete, plug in the mamaRoo. Press the play button to begin motion.  

Who can use the 4moms mamaRoo

This unique baby swing can be used from birth to 25 pounds or until a baby can sit up on his or her own.  We found that our baby grew out of it rather quickly, but we probably could have pushed using the swing for a little bit longer.  For the first couple of months of her life, this was a great addition to our baby equipment repertoire. Then we found that our daughter enjoyed being on the ground, or let’s be honest, in our arms, and playing with toys.  

What sounds can the mamaRoo play? 

The mamaRoo has sounds similar to a sound machine including rain and waves, but it can also be connected to your phone to play whatever music you’d like.  We never used this feature because the sounds seemed sufficient for our daughter. There are several complaints on the 4moms web site about how connecting your phone to the swing seems outdated and annoying. 

What accessories are available with the mamaRoo? 

When you’re spending upwards of $200 on a swing that you’re going to use for six months, but probably less than that, it’s hard to imagine that there might be add ons, but there are if you want them.  The classic mamaRoo starts at $220 and the plush and cool mesh models are $250. Then if you want a Newborn Insert, we never used one even though our daughter was a newborn when we started using this product, that will run you another $30-$35.  You can also purchase an additional seat cover for $40.

How safe is this product? 

If you follow the safety guidelines and don’t use this product when your child can climb out of it, exceeds the 25-pound weight limit, or is left unattended without the safety straps, it seems very safe.  We never used the fastest speed on our mamaRoo because our baby was such a little peanut it made me nervous, but I would assume all speeds are safe with the safety straps properly secured. We liked to leave ours at about a level 3. 

It might be comforting to some if there were shoulder straps to make sure the baby is secure, but when Ryan was using the swing, she was not going anywhere.  We didn’t even strap her in most of the time, until she got big enough to slouch down in the seat and I was worried she’d scootch out the bottom.

What other 4moms products are out there?

If you want a more budget-friendly option, you could opt for the 4moms rockaRoo.  We never used this 4moms product, but it will run you about $160. In this swing, your baby is rocked like they are on a rocking horse or in a glider chair.  This swing has five speeds but does not have the unique swinging motions of the mamaRoo. It’s more compact than a typical swing so it doesn’t take up your entire living area.  This is still more expensive than several other swing options on the market and does not have the unique swinging features that set the mamaRoo apart. 

The Awesome

Space Saver – this swing got the job done taking up considerably less space than the one we used with our first daughter.  I really appreciated that especially since items tend to accumulate when a new baby is around.

Unique Movements – these movements mimic a human’s so it makes sense to comfort your baby in the same way.  Ryan instantly calmed down the first time we put her in there when she wouldn’t calm down using our typical methods.

Sound Included – most swings do include sound, but I appreciated that this came with both white noise and the option for music.

Somewhat Portable – while this isn’t exactly a portable swing, I moved it from our family room to our dining room almost every night while Ryan was a newborn.  It was so nice to have a place to put her down while we were “living,” or likely sleeping during the day, and also while we were eating dinner. It wasn’t hard or heavy to move, but it was somewhat awkward.  I think I got to the point where I was able to hold the baby in one arm and move the mamaRoo with the other.  

The ‘Wish it Were Different’

The Price – this is a big-ticket item that you will only use for a few months, maybe six at most.  While it was lovely to have, I never would have spent that much on my own. The old school, 80s style swing we used for our first daughter also worked for us.  If this is not a financial strain for you – go for it! This is a lovely swing that your baby will hopefully love.   

The Verdict

While my family was in no position to buy a swing of this cost, it was a nice addition to our baby equipment.  We borrowed a swing from a friend for our firstborn, and it took up a huge portion of our living room. It worked well and we used it for about the same amount of time as we used the mamaRoo.  We also borrowed this mamaRoo from a friend, and it worked well. I appreciated the smaller amount of space that it took up, but was frustrated when it stopped working.  

If this swing makes sense for you financially, or if a few people want to buy you a big-ticket item, the mamaRoo is a really nice swing (especially if you can use it for multiple children).  If you don’t have friends and family lined up around the block to get you gifts, you might want to invest in some other things like a variety of baby bottles to try, burp cloths for all those spit-ups, and a wubbanub pacifier for those late-night cries.  And diapers! If it were me, I would maybe put this on my registry and keep my fingers crossed that someone buys it for me. Our friends were much more willing to buy us smaller, more cost-effective items.  

Where to buy

The Mamaroo is available on Amazon here and part of Prime for fast shipping if that’s your thing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can babies sleep in the mamaRoo?

Ryan slept in this for some afternoon naps, and while she was an infant and napping most of the day, she would sleep in the mamaRoo sometimes.  I would not recommend having a child sleep in this all night long. Ryan was spitting up a lot as an infant, so we did occasionally put this in our bedroom for her to sleep in so that she would be propped up. 

Do babies like the motions?

Ryan loved the motion of the mamaRoo.  That being said, my friend tried this swing with all three of her children and none of them liked it.  

Can you use the mamaRoo without plugging it in?

We did this often.  Ryan was happy as a clam just hanging out in the swing even without it moving.  That being said, this would defeat the purpose of the bells and whistles of this swing. 

Is the seat cover washable?

The seat cover is removable and machine washable.  

How expensive is the mamaRoo?

On the 4moms web site, the mamaRoo4 starts at $219.99.  There is also an option for a monthly payment plan. You can find it for the same price on Amazon, at Target, and at Bed Bath and Beyond.  Walmart has the best deal I have found for $175.99 for the 4moms mamaRoo. 

Can I reuse the mamaRoo for a second kid?

Of course.  This swing should be used, in my opinion, for as many children as possible to get the best bang for your buck.  My friend used it first her two children and then let us borrow it for our second. She plans on using it again in the future, even though the mobile part isn’t usable anymore.  

What ages is the mamaRoo appropriate for?

The mamaRoo can be used from birth to 25 pounds or until a baby can sit up on his or her own.

Will my baby turn into a container baby if she uses this swing too often? 

While it’s important to spend time holding your baby, it’s also important to let her spend some time not attached to you.  The mamaRoo was a safe place for us to put Ryan down for a few minutes and take a breather.  

What do you call a cow on a trampoline? … A milkshake!

Why did the cookie go to the doctor? … It was feeling crumbly

Hi, we’re Fathercraft. Our mission is to help guys gain the confidence, skills, and knowledge they need to be an awesome dad. Here you’ll find baby gear reviewsessential baby product recs, and a few things of our own, like our new dad class and our dad bag.

All the best on your journey into fatherhood.

P.S. What did the beach say when the tide came in? Long time no sea.

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